Seeds of 5 species of Acer, i.e., A. albopurpurascens Hay., A. buergerianum Miq. var. formosanum (Hay.) Sasaki, A. kawakamii Koidzumi, A. morrisonense Hay., and A. serrulatum Hay., showed desiccation tolerance to 10% moisture content. Also temperature effect on seed longevity followed the order of -20℃>4℃>15℃, thus the behavior of these 5 species were consistent with orthodox seed storage behavior. The estimates of seed longevity which were predicted by the time period for the seeds to decrease to 50% of their initial germination percentage, however, were shorter than those for orthodox seeds (i.e., A. albopurpurascens: 9 yr. A. buergerianum var. formosanum: 2.2 yr. A. kawakamii: 2.1 yr, A. morrisonense: 1.2 yr. and A. serrulatum; 4 yr), therefore their longevity conformed to sub-orthodox seed behavior of Bonner (1990). The optimum seed moisture contents of these 5 species stored at -20°C were 8-14%, 8-13%, 11-16%, 7-11%, and 11-16% for A. albopurpurascens, A. buergerianum var. formosanum, A. kawakamii, A. morrisonense, and A. serrulatum, respectively. Seed dormancy of these 5 species could be overcome by 4℃ stratification. Germination percentage of fresh mature seeds in a period of 12 wk for A. albopurpurascens, A. buergerianum var. formosanum, A. kawakamii, A. morrisonense, and A. serrulatum increased from 54.5% to 89.9%, 40.8% to 67.1%, 1.5% to 72%, 49% to 79.1%, and 22.5% to 74.6%, respectively, if the seeds were prechilled for 4 mo. The former 2 species began to germinate in hermetic storage after 1-mo wet storage at 4℃ but the latter 3 species needed 2 mo. Therefore, A. kawakamii, A. morrisonens, and A. serrulatum showed deeper dormancy than did A. albopurpurascens and A. buergerianum var. formosanum.
Seeds of 5 species of Acer, i.e., A. albopurpurascens Hay., A. buergerianum Miq. var. formosanum (Hay.) Sasaki, A. kawakamii Koidzumi, A. morrisonense Hay., and A. serrulatum Hay., showed desiccation tolerance to 10% moisture content. Also temperature effect on seed longevity followed the order of -20℃>4℃>15℃, thus the behavior of these 5 species were consistent with orthodox seed storage behavior. The estimates of seed longevity which were predicted by the time period for the seeds to decrease to 50% of their initial germination percentage, however, were shorter than those for orthodox seeds (i.e., A. albopurpurascens: 9 yr. A. buergerianum var. formosanum: 2.2 yr. A. kawakamii: 2.1 yr, A. morrisonense: 1.2 yr. and A. serrulatum; 4 yr), therefore their longevity conformed to sub-orthodox seed behavior of Bonner (1990). The optimum seed moisture contents of these 5 species stored at -20°C were 8-14%, 8-13%, 11-16%, 7-11%, and 11-16% for A. albopurpurascens, A. buergerianum var. formosanum, A. kawakamii, A. morrisonense, and A. serrulatum, respectively. Seed dormancy of these 5 species could be overcome by 4℃ stratification. Germination percentage of fresh mature seeds in a period of 12 wk for A. albopurpurascens, A. buergerianum var. formosanum, A. kawakamii, A. morrisonense, and A. serrulatum increased from 54.5% to 89.9%, 40.8% to 67.1%, 1.5% to 72%, 49% to 79.1%, and 22.5% to 74.6%, respectively, if the seeds were prechilled for 4 mo. The former 2 species began to germinate in hermetic storage after 1-mo wet storage at 4℃ but the latter 3 species needed 2 mo. Therefore, A. kawakamii, A. morrisonens, and A. serrulatum showed deeper dormancy than did A. albopurpurascens and A. buergerianum var. formosanum.